Chicagoans are a tough crowd when it comes to enduring the city’s famously challenging winters. Puffy parkas down past our knees, heavy boots crunching on icy sidewalks, scarves pulled taut around our faces to ward off the blustery wind tunnel created by our magnificent skyscrapers – we can handle the snow. But every now and then, a snowstorm can bring even this hardy town to a standstill. Chicago’s biggest blizzards have tested the limits of the city’s infrastructure and demonstrated the resilience of its people. These legendary snowstorms aren’t just weather events, they’re part of Chicago’s collective memory.... Read more
Anyone who lives in the Windy City knows that wild weather is part of what makes Chicago, well, Chicago. But there were two blizzards that brought the city to its knees. The blizzard of January 1967 brought a record 23 inches of snow to Chicagoland, stopping the city in its tracks. The storm would require 2,500 people and 500 pieces of equipment to clear the roads. Then 12 years later, Chicagoans faced another behemoth: the blizzard of 1979. Forecasters called for just 2 to 4 inches, but the 38-hour blizzard dumped 21 inches. Mayor Michael Bilandic was blamed for the city’s woefully inadequate response, and a woman named Jane Byrne would capitalize on his blunders and go on to become the city’s first female mayor.
